


A Hundred Possible Ways

by steelneena



Category: Back to the Future
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 02:40:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5989225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steelneena/pseuds/steelneena
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Most things - specifically minor events in history - only happen once. Major events in history should only happen once, in the scheme of things, but that isn't always the case. Some things, some special things, could happen in a hundred possible ways. Some things are simply meant to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Hundred Possible Ways

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's been done a hundred times, but I wanted to write something completely different from anything I'd read before. This has not only been the most difficult fic for me to write, ever, in my personal history, but also the story I've wanted to write for a long time.  
> I dedicate this to the amazing MJ Holmes, who has been a staple of the BttF Fandom, and an amazing author for the past several decades. Her story, Twice in a Lifetime, while exceedingly more detailed, better written and far longer than my own, is my favourite "How Marty Met Doc" fic. She has inspired me, and many others greatly, and I owe her my own perseverance that I could accomplish this to even half the ability with which she writes.  
> I also want to thank my good friend themothpit here on AO3 for sitting with me over skype for at least three hours, one of which was spent helping me with just a single line. Your assistance and support was invaluable to me, even if you needed a refresher course in BttF before we could get started. Without you, this would never have gotten written.

Most things - specifically minor events in history - only happen once. Major events in history _should_ only happen once, in the grand scheme of things, but that isn't always the case. Some things, some special things, could happen in a hundred possible ways. Some things are simply meant to be.

The event in question was so obscure that it would never be known to anyone with any small knowledge of it as little more than a pebble among the river rocks of time. Those involved knew -and _would know_ -better.

**June 6th, 1977**

 

Nearly twenty-two years had passed since Emmett L. Brown had last seen Marty McFly. Twenty-One years, 6 months and 25 days and some odd hours, if he was being precise. As usual, that was the case.  It wasn't that he was marking the days off on a calendar; rather, he just did the calculations every so often. Waiting was the hardest part, of course. Building the Time Machine was its own level of difficult, but it was something he could strive for with some measure of confidence, and it served as a welcome distraction from the loneliness, which plagued him in bouts upon Marty's departure. He hadn't realized just how important the young man would become to him, and had often wished he'd tried to get to know him better during the short period of time he’d spent with the time stranded teen. Nevertheless, the circumstances simply hadn't allowed it. Even when Marty returned directly after he'd been sent off, the young man had only stayed the roughly two days required to rework the damaged circuitry in the time machine and other menial repairs to the DeLorean. Then, off Marty had sped, away into nothingness. Only then, driving back to Hill Valley, only upon entering his home, did Emmett feel the oppressive veil entrap him.

His house had been a hotbed of activity for the past week, and then, abruptly as it had begun, it was ended. Certainly, he'd made the most of it though, working and failing and trying and succeeding and working and succeeding and failing and...

It was immensely hard not to force a meeting with the young man. Emmett had decided it was best to actively do nothing. He didn't seek Marty out, but neither did he make an effort to stay away from the McFly family. Their first meeting had to be preserved as best as it could to coincide with the original timeline. History depended on it.

 In '65, he'd concluded that his young friend was finally born, and, though he didn't have an exact date, Emmett had celebrated the momentous occasion at the New Year, with an aging Copernicus as his only companion. That had been a hard but prosperous year, spurned on as he was by the significance of it. Since the fire burned down his mansion in 1962 things hadn't been progressing quite as he'd hoped, but Emmett's determination remained, and he had something wonderful to look forward to - meeting and befriending Marty McFly.

There was nothing, on the other hand, particularly significant about June 6th, 1977. Marty would be 9 years old, or would be turning 9 years old sometime, and school had just let out.  That particular day, he'd ventured outside his garage to head to the local RadioShack for some RC car replacement parts. Not that he actually owned an RC car that had parts to be replaced. But that was beside the point. The parking lot at the Lone Pine Mall was packed - teens milled around, happy not to be in school on a Monday for a change, harassed parents chased their young children and other adults simply scrambled to be on their way. RadioShack wasn't any more or less crowded than it usually was, so Emmett took his time browsing for more than just the parts he required. A display of video cameras had captured his attention when he heard it.

"Awe but Dad, please? Please?" The scientist, startled, uncertain why the question had broken through his concentration, looked around. The voice couldn't have belonged to anyone older than ten years of age, Emmett reasoned, and though there were a few such young fellows hanging around the store, one in particular caught his eye.

"I'm sorry, Marty. We just can't,"

Back suddenly ramrod straight, Emmett felt himself shiver, though he wasn't chilled. The young boy in the corner had his back to the scientist, but it was no doubt where the voice originated from. Beside him stood a lanky cut figure, though he stood tall. It was unmistakably George McFly. The scientist’s eyes widened. He'd never before even come into remotely close contact with the McFly's since the circumstances in 1955. This meeting, so highly anticipated, could never have been determined. Long had Emmett wondered how it would happen. Was this it? Or merely a taste of what was to come? Should he take initiative of the opportunity presented him, or would doing so threaten the very fabric of reality? Doing nothing could very well have the same effect. He'd never know unless-

"But Dad it's my birthday Sunday! And I got B in science this year!"

George McFly smiled sadly at his young son, Emmett watching them surreptitiously all the while, no longer absorbed in the video camera display.

"Marty, it's just too expensive. We'll see. Maybe in a couple months,"

"Okay..."

As George began to walk away, Marty lingering behind, the scientist risked a glance. The item which Marty was gazing (he assumed adoringly, as he still couldn't see his young friend's face) was none other than a Walkman cassette player.

Curious, Emmett moved towards the display and Marty, feigning interest in the other devices. The movement was enough to redirect he young man’s attention. He inclined his head so as to see the new person in his peripherals, purely out of reflex. In turn, Emmett looked down at the young man. Marty, at age nine, was simply a miniature of the teen that Emmett was familiar with.

As soon as it had begun, the moment of curiosity was over. Marty looked away, knowing he’d been caught. Emmett too, inclined to play along with the game he knew was developing, turned back to the shelves, paying attention from his periphery.

Approximately 15 seconds later, Marty looked back at him. Their gazes locked, if only for a moment. The big blue eyes staring intensely up at him were filled with no small amount of awe and mild trepidation. Emmett, to his own consternation, felt much the same, but tempered the emotion through the warmth with which he recalled the Marty he’d once known.  Emmett was almost positive that Marty would once again look away, but he was surprised. Instead, Marty spoke, apparently more curious than terrified, as most nine year olds are. And Marty McFly was definitely most nine year olds.

“Did you really blow your house up Doctor Brown?” The words were precipitated by no cushion, nor formalities, no anything, and, for a moment, Emmett actually felt hurt that those would be the first words spoken to him by his dear friend. The scientist opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off before he could begin.“My brother Dave says you blew up your house. He said it was ‘surance fraud or something. I don’t really know. Anyways, I mean, was it hard to blow it up? Dave said you worked on the Bomb. That’s pretty important right? The Bomb?” The way he emphasized the word, Emmett knew that Marty was saying it with a capitol B. Inwardly, and outwardly, he smiled. The impertinent line of questioning fit with the older Marty’s somewhat flagrant disregard for authority, but the inventor could tell that it wasn’t meant unkindly. “Are those RC car parts?” Marty didn’t miss a beat, pointing to the small plastic bag Emmett was holding. “Do you need those to build a Bomb? Are you gonna blow up your garage too?” There was brief pause. “No one’s gonna get hurt, are they? I mean, blowing stuff up in movies is alright I guess, but that’s different,”

“No, I’m not going to blow up my garage. At least I hope not,” Emmett smiled conspiratorially at Marty. “It isn’t in any of my immediate plans at any rate,” The young boy’s eyes widened, but then, seeming to deem the explanation acceptable, nodded firmly, before his gaze unintentionally flickered back to the Walkman. “That’s a fine piece of equipment you’ve been eyeing up there…” Emmett waited for his friend to speak.

“Marty. Marty McFly,” He looked back at Doctor Brown. “And yeah, it is really great,” Crestfallen, he hung his head.

“What seems to be the problem Marty?”

“We don’t have the money. I set fire to the rug. It was an accident, I swear! But we had to have it replaced,” He spoke with an air that lent the phrase to having been repeated often by his parents. Emmett cringed. He could imagine that the incident hadn’t been fun.

“Ah,” Emmett exclaimed knowingly. “I see,”

“At least I didn’t get grounded. But Sunday’s my birthday, and…”The nearly nine year old trailed away. There wasn’t a need to say more. Nodding in sympathy, Emmett found himself speaking before he’d even begun to think about the words.

“Well, Marty, what do you know about electronics?” He asked, knowing already what the answer would be. Perplexed, the boy’s forehead wrinkled.

“Not much,”

“What about dogs?” Emmett tried again. This time, Marty’s face brightened.

“Well, I like ‘em,” He settled on.

“I just happen to have a dog,” The scientist continued, pretending to be distracted by the merchandise, taking one of Marty’s prized Walkmans off the shelf. “A puppy actually, named Einstein. I could use someone to help out around my place, with Einie and other chores, a couple days a week. Since you don’t know much about electronics, maybe you’d be interested in helping out in another manner?”

“Like a job?” Slowly, the outline of a plan was beginning to form in Marty’s mind.

“Certainly. And with such a job comes a small income and with a small income, one might be inclined to save up for something special,” Emmett smiled kindly at the young boy, placing the box back purposefully as he did so.

“Really?” Marty’s face brightened instantly. “You’re really do that?”

“If you’re willing to work for it, I’m sure we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement. Help me out with small tasks and other chores, take Einie for walks, nothing too difficult really, that is, if your old man is alright with it,”

The response was immediate.

“I’ll ask him!” Marty spied around the store for a moment, until he spotted George talking with a sales person over in the battery section, and raced away to pester his father for permission. With amusement, Emmett watched him go.

The pretense he’d given Marty wasn’t untrue. The young man had proved to be an invaluable help working on the DeLorean back in 1955, and any efficiency with electronics would be cultivated during the coming years, but it was more than that. Already, Emmett could see the burgeoning person that Marty would become: kind and loyal, determined and resourceful. Yes, that was Marty. In many ways, Emmett knew, he still didn’t understand just how he’d come to win such loyalty, how he’d come to mean so much to the young man.  But more than anything, he wanted to see and experience the birth of that unbreakable friendship. Contentedness settled in his heart as he watched the bright-eyed boy speaking animatedly with his father, convincing him easily to allow him to take the job, which would eventually develop from being a summer ordeal to make a bit of easy cash, to a year round occupation by choice rather than convenient necessity.

Some things, well, most things, Emmett knew, only happened once. Those things were recorded down into history, or forgotten by man forever. But there were some major events in history, of which the world would never know, that happened more than once. Some things, some special things, could happen in a hundred possible ways, or might never happen at all. But this particular event could have only happened in one way, and would always happen, no matter what. 

Smiling at the Walkman on the shelf fondly, Emmett walked over to meet his future.

**Author's Note:**

> The premise for the story is loosely based of a trip my father and I made to RadioShack in 1998 when we bought my own beloved Optimus 14-1247 RS E-Bass portable cassette player. I'll let you speculate about how old that makes me. I'll never forget that day. I still have the player, and it still works like a charm.


End file.
